Coldridge
by Grasspaw
Summary: After her parents die in a car crash, 12 year old Emily goes to live with her aunt in Coldridge. But things don't work out quite like she planned them...
1. Chapter 1

I sat at the bus stop, waiting. It was raining. Not a good sign. I was moving into Coldridge that day, but the bus was literally taking forever. Me being me, I didn't have an umbrella. I was soaked to the skin and utterly freezing. My short, reddish brown hair was plastered to my head, and my shoes made squelching noises whenever I took a step. My plain mint gingham dress was dripping, and, being so wet, it clung to me in a way that made me feel uncomfortable. I silently cursed the weatherman. He had promised sunny, cloudless skies today. _Ugh._

The bus stop had a bright yellow sign that said, "Bus." Original. Actually, you could hardly call it a bus stop. It consisted of a sign and a bench. With no cover. I would be sitting down, but I had to keep moving or I would freeze.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the bus pulled up. I stared at it. The thing was bright yellow! If I looked closely, I could see the faint words underneath that said, "Coldridge elementary school." How cheap were these people? I hopped inside the second the doors opened.

Driving the bus was a turtle. He looked at me, noticing my dripping figure, and silently nodded towards the back of the bus. I went and took a seat. I looked out the window. I left little puddles all over the place. It was raining so hard I couldn't see out of it. Instead, I saw the reflection of a cat's face staring at the back of my head. I turned. He was sitting on the seat across from me and holding out his coat. I took it.

We rode in silence for several minutes, and then the cat said, "Soo... what's your name?"

I figured that since he let me wear the coat I could at least give him some information. Key word being _some._ "Emily."

"I see... And where are you going, Emily?"

"Coldridge."

"Uh-huh... When's your birthday?"

Had I looked, I would have seen that he was righting all this down like the stalker that he is. But I didn't, so I said, "July seventh."

"Mmm-hmm... Why're you going to Coldridge?"

I shrugged. I didn't tell him how my parents died in a car crash so I was going to live with an aunt. That was _way_ too much information. To make sure I didn't let anything out by accident, I clammed up. Stopped talking. Shut my pie hole.

The cat took the hint. He stopped talking to. Well, not right away. First, he said, "My name's Rover."

I nodded and looked out the window. After about thirty minutes, the bus driver said, "Coldridge!" I jumped up, grabbed by backpack. Some friends were going to send the rest of my stuff in a few days. I walked to the door. Rover called my name and waved. I turned back and waved. Then I remembered his jacket. I started to take it off, but he said, "Nah, keep it. I never wear it anyways." I nodded my head in thanks. I would have smiled, but that was a lot harder to do lately. So I stepped off of the bus to a whole new life.


	2. Chapter 2

I stepped off the bus. There was a cement block with a ramp. And a bus sign. For no reason what so ever, this bugged me. Couldn't these people think of something just a bit more... well, just something _better_?

Ah, whatever. I looked around. My aunt was supposed to meet me here. Of course, because this is the story of my life, which is always just a confused mess, she wasn't there. Well, I sure wasn't going to wait around for her. I was cold!

The only problem was, I had absolutely no idea where I was supposed to go. If my aunt wasn't here, what was I supposed to do? My fingers were literally turning blue, so I shoved my hands in the pockets of Rover's jacket. Hey, I thought. That sounds like a band name... I'll have to remember that.

I dug my hands farther into the pockets. The jacket was totally huge on me, because I was always too thin. I ate plenty, so I still haven't figured out why that was. it was weird, though, because even though I was really thin, I was also freakishly tall. At least, that's what by brother used to- oops. My breath caught in my throat. Nope. Not going to think about my brother. Or my mom and dad. Too many memories. Too much pain. Not even going to go there. Nuh-uh.

Feeling around in the pockets, I felt a peice of paper. Curious, I pulled it out and looked at it.

Okay, so I wasn't really curious. I was just bored.

It was a map. Of Coldridge. That was weird. Why did Rover have a map of Coldridge in his pocket? I was seriously starting to get freaked out by that cat. He was _creepy._

I found the bus stop on the map. The closest place would be the town hall, I guessed. There was a little shop right by me, but I figured it would be closed. After all, it was, like, eight o' clock. All the stores in my old town closed around seven. I climbed off the ramp, backpack in tow, and headed to the right.

Town Hall... Town Hall... There it was. There was a totally soaked message board next to it. I glanced at it. Some girl named Victoria was having a birthday. It didn't say how old she was. I guessed old.

I stepped inside the building. A blast of cool air hit me. They had the _air conditioner _on?!?!? They had issues. There was a white pelican behind the counter. I moved forward. She noticed me. She blinked a few times. I guess I was shivering like mad, because she suddenly gasped and turned off the AC. Gee, thanks.

She turned back to the counter. "Hello! I'm Pelly! And you are...?"

"Emily."

She nodded. "Okay... Are you visiting a relative or friend? I can give you an adress of just about anyone."

My eyes widened. "_Visiting _a relative? I'm moving in with one!" Oops again. Too much information. Although, I reasoned, surely my aunt would have told everyone in town that her neice was moving in with her. I wasn't giving anything away.

Okay, by this time, you probabably think I'm a really secretive person. But I'm not usually. Becoming an orphan and an only child in just a few minutes can do that to you. Anyways...

Pelly looked nervous. "Um... Who exactly?"

"Siobhan Gibson."

Pelly groaned. "Oh, _no..."_

"What?" I asked, worried.

Pelly looked up. "Sioabhan moved two days ago.


End file.
